A civil servant who played a key role in the Hutton inquiry is due in court today accused of raping a woman in central London.

Michael Burrell, 34, of The Pasture, Crawley, West Sussex, has been charged with one count of rape between September 28 and October 1, 2003. He is also accused of indecent assault between the same dates.

Burrell, a press officer with the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA), acted as a spokesman for the Hutton inquiry.

He was arrested in September last year as he arrived for work at the offices of the DCA in Victoria, central London.